Roller-bearing.



C. H. MILLER.

ROLLER BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE s, |915.

Patented sept. 26,1916.

C. H. MILLER.

ROLLER BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 3| 1915- l l ,1 99,404. Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Tm maw CLARENCEYHOPKINS MILLER., '0F LUTON, ENGLANB, ASSIGNOR TO AKTIEBULAGET SVENSKA KULLAGERFABRIKEN, EOF GOTTENBORG, SWEDEN.

ROLLER-BEARING.

iie'eaoa.

V Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26., i916.,

Application le. June 3, 1915. Serial No. 31,868.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CLARENCE HOPKINS MrLLnR, a subject of the King of England, residing in Luton, in the county of Bedford, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roller-Bearings, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in roller-bearingsand has for its object to provide a self-alining roller-bearing of improved, simple and efficient construction.

The bearing according to the present invention will be capable of carrying a greater load than a ball-bearing of equal dimensions and will be able, by reason of its capacity for self alinement, to adapt itself automatically to any deiections of the shaft or incorrect alinement of the housing in which it may be fitted.

The type of roller bearing to which the present invention relates is that in which rollers run between two track-rings which present convex surfaces to the rollers so that point contact or substantially point contact is established between the rollers and each of the track-rings. According to the present invention, however, a roller-bearing of this type is characterized by the inner track-ring being formedwith a spherical track-surface for the rollers, and in one form the center of curvature of the .inner track is coincident with the center of the bearing.

A feature of the invention consists in a' construction of bearing in which a line joining the centers of transverse curvature of the inner and outer tracks passes through Vthe points of Contact of the rollers withl those tracks.

Other features of the invention will be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a central section through oned form of roller-bearing according to the present invention, and Fig.` 2 is a side elevation of the bearing shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a central section of a modified form of bearmg, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bearing shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the bearing illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, two rows of rollers A A1 are disposed between track-rings B and C and the rollers of the two rows are arranged either 1n staggered relationship as indicated ings, the flange B1 in Fig. 2 or they may be side by side as in-' dicated in Fig. 4.

The track-ring C presents a' spherical,

track to the rollers, its bearing surface being curved as a portion of a sphere struck from the center D of the bearing. In the illustration the outer trackjring B has an individual outer track for leach roller set, the drawings show two tracks to accommodate the two rows of rollers and is divided by a central ridge-piece B1( The rollers are substantially cylindrical so that owing to the curvature of the tracks point contact or substantially point contact is established between the rollers and the tracks. rIhe curvature of the outer tracks is such that a line, as shown at E, radiating from the center D of the bearing, passes through the points of contact of a roller and both' tracks. rI`he center of transverse curvature of each of the outer tracks is therefore situated on a line, such as E, and is indicated at F. The lines E preferably also pass through the center points of the rollers. l

'Ihe rollers are kept evenly spaced by itting them in a cage Hoating between the inner and outer-tracks B and C and indicated at G. Preferably the .cage Gr is. made in one piece formed as an annulus and slotted to receive the rollers in such a manner that they may revolve easily and with a minimum amount of friction between them and the cage. The cage also facilitates the positioning of the rollers at the required angle, as illustrated in the drawings.

In Figs. 3 and 4C is illustrated a modiiied form of Ibearing in which the inner track C is formed with a spherical track-surface and formed with two trackthe outer track B is surfaces or race-ways, each of which is provided along its outer edges by flanges B2, in addition to the central dividing flange BL as in the outer track-ring illustrated in Fig. 1. Each row of rollers is provided with a separate cage G1, ably slotted to receive the rollers and to position them at the correct angle.

In both the casesillustrated in the drawserves as a guidefor the inner edges of the rollers, while in Fig. 3 the flanges B2 act as additional guides. It will be readily understood that' owing to the sphericity of the inner track whlch 1s com- G2, each of which is suitt mon to the two rows of rollers, the bearing is automatically self-aligning as it will operate equally satisfactorily if the inner and outer track-rings are oblique to one another, the inner track ring or member being capable of tilting relatively to the outer track ring or member and the rollers.

' The rollers are capable ofwithstanding a greater load than balls of equal diameter and, moreover, they operate with a minlmum amount of friction as substantially only point contact is maintained between them and the tracks. j

The invention is not limited to the details ot' construction shown in the drawings as these may be varied provided always that thek invention, as defined by the claims, is not departed from.

lVhat I claim as my inventionand desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A roller-bearing comprising a plurality of roller-sets running between inner and outer track-members there being an individual outer track for each set formed to present a convex track-surface to the rollers and an inner track-member formed with a spherical track-surface common to all the roller-sets. ,j

2. A roller-bearing having a plurality of roller-sets running between inner and outer track members there being an individual outer track for each set formed to present a convex-track surface to the rollers and an inner track-member formed with a spherical track-surface common to all the roller-sets, the center of curvature of the'inner track heilig coincident with the center of the bearing.

3. A roller-bearing having a plurality of roller-sets running between inner and outer track-members there being an individual outer track for each set formed to present a convex track-surface to the rollers and an inner track-member formed with a spherical track-surface common to allA the sets, the construction being such that a line joining the centers of transverse curvature of the inner and outer trackspasses through the points yof contact of the rollers with the tracks.

4. A roller-bearing having a plurality of roller-sets running between inner and outer track-members there being an individual outer track for each set formed to present a convex track-surface to the rollers and an j, inner track-member formed with a spherical j track-surface common to all the rollers, the construction being such that the center of curvature of the inner track is coincident with `the center of the bearmg and a line joining )the centers of transverse curvature of the inner and outer tracks through the points of contact of the with the tracks.

5. A roller-bearing having a plurality7 of roller-sets running between inner and outer track-members, the inner track-member being formed with a spherical track-surface and the outer track-member having an individual track surface for each roller-set formed to presenta convex track-surface to the rollers and having an annular rib projecting inwardly between the roller-sets.

G. A roller-bearing having a plurality of roller-sets running between inner and outer track-members the inner track-member being formed with a spherical track-surface common to all the roller-sets and the outer track-member having an individual track for each set formed to present a convex track-surface to the rollers and having an annular rib projecting inwardly between the roller-sets and other annular ribs projecting inwardly from the outer edges of the said track-member to overhang` the outer sides of the outermost roller-sets.

7. A roller-bearing having two roller-sets runningbetween inner and outer track-members there being an individual outer track for each set formed to 'present a convex passes track-surface; to the rollers and an inner track-member formed with a spherical tracksurface common to all the sets, the construction being such that a line joining thecenters of transverse curvature of the inner and outer tracks passes through the points of contact of the rollers with the tracks, an eX tension `of suelr line passing through the points of contact of the diametrically opposite roller in the companion set with its outer 'track and the spherical track.

8'. A roller bea-ring having rollers of substantially cylindrical shape and inner and outer track members, the inner track member being formed to present a spherical rollers track surface to the rollers, whereby the track to the rollers and the inner member being formed with a spherical track surface.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CLARENCE HOPKINS MILLER.

Witnesses: i

RONALD S. loLLEYMoRn,` HARRY S. RIDGE. 

